The application prospects， ethical risks， and governance pathways of artificial womb technology
10.12026/j.issn.1001-8565.2025.05.16
- VernacularTitle:人造子宫技术的应用前景、伦理风险与治理路径
- Author:
Dongyang LI
1
Author Information
1. School of Marxism， Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine， Guangzhou 511400， China
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
artificial womb technology;
ethical risk;
bioethics;
ethical governance
- From:
Chinese Medical Ethics
2025;38(5):656-662
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
The research on artificial womb technology and “fetus and newborn” by Deby et al.， as well as the Food and Drug Administration’s discussion on whether the world’s first human clinical trial of “artificial womb” technology should be approved， have sparked a new wave of research on artificial womb technology. By extending and deepening relevant foreign research， the three potential application prospects of artificial womb technology were clarified， including rescuing extremely preterm infants， reducing the burden of pregnancy， and assisting advanced maternal age. The ethical risks it faced were pointed out， encompassing the moral status of the gestational entity was questionable， and the risks of technological experimentation could not be quantified. The governance pathways were clarified， involving multi-layered ethical considerations to complete the clear identification of the gestational entity’s identity， and multi-faceted patient-doctor consultations to achieve clear risk notification. Through discussions on the application prospects， ethical risks， and governance pathways of artificial womb technology can improve human welfare and realize the technology for human use.
